Tony Buzbee Gives A Hard Pass On Representing Adult Film Star In Lawsuit Against Zion Williamson
Williamson and Mills have had a contentious relationship
Controversial attorney Tony Buzbee released a statement rejecting adult film star Moriah Mills as a client in her legal pursuit against NBA player Zion Williamson.
According to TMZ Sports, the Texas lawyer stated that Mills reached out to his team about representing her against the New Orleans Pelicans center, but after speaking to her, his firm decided against taking her on as a client. Williamson and Mills have had a contentious relationship, and it’s unclear why she is planning to sue him. But, she definitely won’t be represented by Buzbee.
“A member of our staff spoke to her,” he said. “After review, we declined to take her case.”
“We can’t comment about the details or merits of her claims. As you know, we are contacted by numerous people across the United States daily with grievances. We can’t help them all. Some of those we do take are resolved quietly. A number are filed and litigated, like the $640 million jury verdict we achieved a few weeks back. Only a small few become public.”
The media outlet reported that Mills confirmed with them that Buzbee will not be her attorney on record, saying that her grievance did not match the type of case that Buzbee takes on. Outside of Williamson’s basketball career not playing out like most basketball analysts predicted, his off-court actions are under even more scrutiny.It was reported in May that the Pelicans player had a lawsuit filed against him by an unnamed woman accusing him of rape and domestic violence. The paperwork was filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court under the Jane Doe pseudonym. She claimed she began dating Williamson when he played basketball as a freshman at Duke University in 2018.
The Athletic reported that Jane Doe alleges that the basketball player repeatedly hit and kicked her, repeatedly raped her, and made her fear for her life several times before the two stopped seeing each other in 2023.
New COVID Variant Reaches The U.S. Amid CDC’s Nixed Vaccine Recommendations
The rise of a new COVID variant puts more eyes on the contradicting vaccine recommendations from RFK Jr. and the CDC.
The new NB.1.8.1 COVID variant has arrived in the U.S., responsible for 10% of global cases. Doctors are sounding the alarm as it brings a range of evolving symptoms amid the CDC’s drawback of COVID vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women.
First identified in China in January, the Independent reports that the NB.1.8.1 variant has since spread to the U.S., Northern Ireland, Wales, and several other countries. While no severe new symptoms have been confirmed, experts say the variant appears to infect cells more efficiently and may cause gastrointestinal issues like diarrhea, constipation, and nausea.
So far, just 20 NB.1.8.1 cases have been detected in the U.S., a number below the threshold required for the variant to be listed on the CDC’s official COVID dashboard. The World Health Organization is now monitoring the NB.1.8.1 variant as cases continue to rise in multiple regions around the globe.
Doctors are raising concerns as the variant’s spread fuels renewed calls for vaccination, directly contradicting Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy’s proposal to end federal COVID vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women. The move, made last week, reportedly caught CDC officials off guard, as they first learned about the directive through social media.
“I think parents and clinicians are confused because there’s contradicting guidelines,” Dr. Kavita Patel toldNBC News. “I do think that the bottom line is you need to have a conversation with a health professional.”
Patel continued: ”If you are a healthy pregnant woman, and I would highly encourage the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists study that recommends all pregnant women get the COVID vaccine.”
The doctor and NBC medical contributor also spoke to parents, highlighting the American Academy of Pediatrics vaccine recommendations contradicting RFK Jr.’s recent announcement.
“If you’re a parent of a healthy child under 18, you’re also going to need to have a conversation,” Patel said. “But again, the American Academy of Pediatrics also recommends that children, healthy children, including young ones at risk of hospitalization if they get sick, that they get the COVID shot.”
Following RFK Jr.’s announcement, the CDC issued a quiet counterpoint days later by updating its guidance. The agency maintained that healthy children over six months old could still receive COVID vaccines, but introduced a new caveat, recommending families consult with their healthcare providers first.
Lucia Restaurant Serves Afro-Caribbean Experience In Time For Caribbean American Heritage Month
Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month with Lucia, a new luxury restaurant located in LA's historic Fairfax district.
An illuminating dining experience has arrived on the Los Angeles food scene, and foodies are welcome to drop by and enjoy a new restaurant loaded with Afro-Caribbean culinary treats.
Hospitality expert Sam Jordan’s “Lucia” restaurant officially opened on May 28, just ahead of Caribbean American Heritage Month. Located in the historic Fairfax District, Lucia is making history of its own. A press release revealed that the destination has become the first restaurant in the city to present a modern take on Caribbean cuisine in a lavish setting. Lucia, which means “light,” brings bold flavors and rich heritage to the residents and visitors of Los Angeles. Guests will experience Caribbean culture at its finest as they gather to enjoy refined Afro-Caribbean food, exemplary service, and a luxurious atmosphere.
“Los Angeles has such a diverse food scene, but I felt there was a gap and underrepresentation for bold, soulful Afro-Caribbean cuisine with this modern, elevated approach,” said Jordan. “There are such unique flavor profiles across the Caribbean islands that make it hard to replicate in other locations, but in Southern California, we have this incredible range of produce and accessible products that allow us to stay truly authentic.”
So, what’s on the menu at the luxurious Lucia restaurant? Adrian Forte is Lucia’s executive chef, and the Jamaica-born culinary innovator has mastered a lineup of dishes that incorporates the foods, spices, and native fruits of St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, and more. Guests may feel intrigued to try anything from Lucia’s colorful bowl of loaded rice and peas to the comforting Guyanese Oxtail Pepperpot with butterbeans. The menu also boasts Caribbean dishes like Coconut Fried Chicken with fermented chili aioli and a marinated Ribeye Steak served with toum and spiced jus.
To top off the dining experience, Lucia offers a lineup of around 15 tropical cocktails sorted by Beverage Director Melina Meza. Sourcing from a combination of Southern California and island-grown ingredients like tamarind, soursop, and coconut, Meza’s mixes highlight the bold, complex flavors of the Caribbean. Lucia’s drink menu includes: an Okra “Martini” with vodka, gin, pickled okra, lemongrass, thyme, bay leaf, dry vermouth and escovitch; the Oxtail “Old Fashioned,” oxtail-washed bourbon and rye whiskies, sweet potato liqueur, sugar cane and Creole bitters; and 12 to 14 wines-by-the-glass, with half offerings from Black-owned wineries like McBride Sisters, Sun Goddess, and Sam’s Red Bear Winery. Pair Lucia’s drinks with any of the restaurant’s island-inspired dishes like baked “Trini Mac Pie,” a staple of Trinidad and Tobago, “Sweet Potato Sticky Pudding,” and “Saltfish & Fig Croquettes,” a play on St. Lucia’s national dish.
Lucia’s 118-seat restaurant welcomes guests through a golden, mirrored chamber before they are elegantly greeted by a breathtaking white-terrazzo bar, which features three 18-foot verdigris sculptural palms designed by Preen, Inc. and fabricated by Guerin Swing. Seated guests comfortably settle into one of the plant-patterned velvet booths that look up to towering shell domes and warm lighting. To master the brand identity, Jordan collaborated with Dominic West as head of Brand & Culture Development. “The space exudes energy, elegance, and a touch of sultriness, and is designed as an arena for culinary, musical, and social alignment,” the press release stated. “Overall, the breezy, outdoor nature of island culture is juxtaposed with the opulence of 1950s Golden-Era restaurants.”
Hotel Worker Says He Received $100K From Diddy For Footage Of Cassie Assault
Eddy Garcia testified in court that he received the money from Diddy.
A hotel worker testified in the Diddy trial that the entertainment mogul made him sign an NDA (Non-disclosure agreement) in exchange for $100,000 for surveillance video capturing him assaulting his then-girlfriend, Cassie, at the InterContinental Hotel in 2016.
According to USA Today, the former security officer from the hotel said in court June 3 that an employee of Sean “Diddy” Combs contacted him asking “if there was any possible way to get a copy of the video,” showing the assault that took place that day. Eddy Garcia stated that after the incident, he received a call from Kristina “KK” Khorram, Combs’ chief of staff, making the request.
A portion of that footage was revealed on CNN last year before Diddy was arrested by the government.
Garcia admitted that he initially told Khorram that she would have to contact hotel management or get a subpoena for the footage. After speaking to the Bad Boy label owner, who told him that if the video got out, it “could ruin him,” Garcia said his boss, Bill Medrano, told him it would take $50,000 to obtain the video.
An arrangement was made for Garcia to meet at “a big high-rise building.” When Garcia arrived, Diddy made him sign a non-disclosure agreement, saying that there were “no duplicates, backups, stored drives” that contained the video. Once the agreement was signed, Garcia said he was handed around $100,000 in cash in a paper bag.
Once Garcia had the payoff, he said he gave Medrano $50,000, $22,000 went to another security staff member on duty that night, and he kept $30,000 for himself. He admitted that he purchased a used vehicle with what he received. He never deposited the money in a bank to avoid the payment being traced to him.
Combs is on trial and facing a life sentence on charges of racketeering conspiracy, sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion, and transportation to engage in prostitution. He has proclaimed his innocence while pleading not guilty.
200-Year-Old ‘Safe-Sex’ Artifact Displayed At Amsterdam Museum
The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is displaying an approximately two century old sheepskin condom that shows "both the playful and serious side of sexual health."
The condom is notable for what appears to be an erotic graphic etched onto its exterior. In the image a nun’s robe is lifted, displaying her genitalia, as she points to the crotches of three men of the cloth. Additionally, the clergymen are naked from the waist down.
Accompanying the image is the French phrase “Voila mon choix”—“This is my choice.” According to The Independent, the reference comes from Judgment of Paris, a story in Greek mythology.
The condom was acquired in 2024 at a Haarlem auction and is said to be made from the appendix of a sheep. “Acquiring the condom has enabled us to focus on 19th-century sexuality and prostitution, a subject that is underrepresented in our collection,” the Rijksmuseum said in a statement.
“It embodies both the lighter and darker sides of sexual health, in an era when the quest for sensual pleasure was fraught with fears of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases—especially syphilis,” the museum added.
STIs In Black America
Contraceptives being displayed openly is a boon for society. As the Rijksmuseum stressed, fears of STIs was a serious concern in the 1800s. These concerns still exist today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American youths have reported low usage of contraceptives (9%). Consequently, the increase of STDs and STIs in the Black community is staggering.
The most recent Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs_ reports reveal, the Black community has the highest number of reported STI cases in the country, around 236,011. Numbers do not account for individuals who do not receive STI screenings regularly. Education through institutions of learning and art can make a significant impact in curtailing these statistics.
High School Fraternity Promotes Young Brotherhood To Keep Alabama Teens Off Streets
The fraternity emulates similar customs as Divine 9 organizations.
Most sororities and fraternities focus on building up collegiate students through a lifetime bond. However, a new take on these traditional organizations offers the same fellowship just a few years earlier.
The Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity only allows high school boys to become members. Based in Birmingham, Alabama, its values of brotherhood and unity help keep these young men away from more dangerous activities. Allowing them to find upliftment and acceptance here can help lead them away from darker paths.
Jeremiah Hall, a high school senior, says the fraternity has allowed him to envision a better future for himself. Now, he has new brothers wanting to chase the same ambitions.
“It teaches you how to grow and how to bond for real…If it wasn’t for PKS, I think I wouldn’t be here right now. I had a rocky start through high school life, moving toward the streets, and having them around has helped me,” Hall, a senior at A.H. Parker High School, told AL.com.
PKS, founded in 1995 as a way to build community among adolescent boys, has grown to more than 1,000 members. While partaking in the fun customs of collegiate Black organizations, like stepping and strolling, they still conduct monthly community service and local HBCU tours.
“It’s an organization where you come and you look for brotherhood. We bond through the whole process…We uplift each other. We go to practice, do community service…We just try to make each other better,” explained PKS member president, Michael Pollard.
Teenage members also offer this guidance to those next up, mentoring Phi Gents, a tinier version of the fraternity for elementary and middle schoolers.
“It’s really helping build up my character. To become a better person and be a better man,” added high school junior Ryan Gray. “Sometimes young people can go astray and get around the wrong crowd, but PKS is trying to help change that narrative and help young people be around good, like-minded, young adults.”
PKS instills discipline, strength, and determination for its cohort, offering support while changing the perception on Birmingham’s “troubled” youth. The city tallied a record 151 homicides in 2024, 10 of them being children. PKS also aims to combat this by allowing young men a safe outlet to express themselves and gain the support they need to thrive.
“It’s giving Birmingham a different look. We’re trying to save the city…We’re giving back to the city and not destroying it…These are the kids that are working hard. It’s a representation, being an example of what we really should look like,” explained Bryan Jenkins, PKS’ advisor. “We’re giving back to Birmingham.”
The organization wants to amplify its mission toward the community through crowdfunding. It hopes donations will expand its opportunities and services, such as tutoring and scholarships, for the next generation of youth leaders.
Earlier this week, Atlanta native Andre Benjamin, best known as Andre 3000, popped up in a metro-Atlanta parking lot for a memorable impromptu performance.
The Grammy-winning rap artist and instrumentalist was recorded performing flute compositions on his Roland Aerophone AE-10. Professional cameras captured the moment in the Metro Mart USA parking lot as onlookers respectfully listened. Donning a suit and sneakers Andre 3000 put himself in the limelight, something he has avoided for most of the last decade.
For most of the 2000s, Andre was seemingly everywhere, especially as one-half of the legendary hip-hop duo, Outkast.
I’m Photo credit: Melissa “Phylis iller” Alexander
There has been no official announcement as to whether the pop-up concert will be a continual series.
While the exceptional lyricist has left behind rhyming for now, he has dropped two instrumental projects in the last few years. His latest offering, 7 Piano Sketches,was released May 5.
“I had a piano in my house, and sometimes I would record ideas, or record myself improvising and making up stuff from scratch,” he told GQ. “I was like, ‘This is pretty interesting.’ So I wanted to make a collective out of them. I think it’s a cool piece of music that people might want to have in their arsenal.” A
The unannounced drop of 7 Piano Sketches accompanied an extremely rare appearance for Andre at a Hollywood event, wearing a replica of the Steinway Model S baby grand by design company Pink Sparrow.
Before the “Hey Ya” rapper’s latest release, Andre 3000 dropped his first instrumental offering, A New Blue Sun, in November 2023, a seven-track exploration of the flute with a message, “Warning: No Bars.”
Pastor Jamal Bryant Urges Cardi B To Support Target Boycott After Rapper Posts In-Store Pic
The pastor wrote the open letter for the rap superstar to join their cause.
Cardi B has some explaining to do after the rapper posted a picture of herself and her children at Target amid a nationwide boycott.
Pastor Jamal Bryant, who initiated the Target boycott, reposted a photo of Cardi to his Instagram, urging her to join their movement. The protest started in response to Target’s scaleback of DEI initiatives, which heavily impact its Black-owned brands, employees, and consumers.
Bryant started the message with a “chest full of love,” as he detailed why he and hundreds of thousands have joined the effort to not shop at Target.
“Over the past couple of months there has been a national boycott against @target because they have betrayed our community by dismantling diversity, equity and inclusion,” he wrote in the open letter. “African Americans have spent 12 million dollars a day and yet they don’t see us a viable partner. We’ve asked them to invest in Black banks, Black colleges and Black communities and under pressure from the administration they haven’t felt compelled to even respond.”
He continued by noting how the boycott has notably impacted Target’s earnings. The retailer’s foot traffic and stocks have declined for weeks, with many attributing it to the coalition of church and community organizations remaining steadfast in this approach. He also appealed to Cardi’s massive social media following, emphasizing how her influence could further their cause.
“When I saw you post a picture of you and your beautiful family in the store I felt certain that with your demanding schedule you were probably unaware. Having 163 million following you is a great deal of influence and many follow your lead. I hope you will visit targetfast.org and walk alongside us. “
The mother of three, born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, also identifies as an Afro-Latina. With this in mind, Bryant also noted how the Latino community supports their movement. Cardi’s three children also have Black ancestry through their father, former Migos rapper Offset.
He concluded, “I’m fully aware that you identify as Latino and that you have children that represent both communities and to that end you should know the movement has support as well as buy in from the Latino community and more specifically workers. Your presence [could] be apart of the most effective boycott in 70 years since the Montgomery bus boycott! In the words of Martin Luther King, “a person who doesn’t stand for something will fall for anything…”
While Cardi has yet to respond, the entertainer has been vocal about political issues in the past. She also endorsed Kamala Harris during the 2024 presidential election, but has yet to directly address the current anti-DEI movement within the country.
How Karen Mitchell Turned a Side Hustle Into an Eight-Figure Hair Empire
The trailblazing hair mogul shares insights about her journey, building celebrity clientele, and business tips for emerging entrepreneurs
From Rihanna to Demi Moore, Lizzo, and even Beyoncé, Hollywood’s biggest stars have turned to True Hair Company for luxury hair extensions and wigs. But behind the glam is Karen Mitchell, a Jamaican-born, Brooklyn-bred entrepreneur who transformed a side hustle into an eight-figure business that’s redefining the Black hair industry.
The company not only supplies hair pieces for A-list celebrities, but also provides professional women, businesswomen, and the everyday fabulous woman with premium hair units and pieces, giving them the confidence they need to walk into any room while building their businesses and careers.
Mitchell, a noted hair extension expert, launched True Indian Hair, the product brand under the umbrella of True Hair Company, after noticing a lack of diversity in ownership within the billion-dollar Black haircare industry. Coupled with her passion for hair and beauty, she embarked on a mission more than two decades ago to provide career women with high-quality extensions and wigs.
“I started True Hair Co/True Indian Hair in 2004 as a side hustle while working my 9-to-5,” she told BLACK ENTERPRISE. Initially, it was “just something to make extra money for my social activities,” she said. However, she realized that selling imported Indian hair to friends and family was a lucrative business that eventually mirrored the $60,000 yearly salary she earned as a production coordinator in the fashion industry.
“So, when I got laid off from my 9-to-5 in 2006 and was unable to find another job, I decided to gamble on myself and open a store,” she said.
With just $15,000 in savings, she cashed in her 401(k) retirement fund and used loans from family and friends to open the first official True Hair Company store in Brooklyn, New York, in 2007.
“It was the scariest decision of my adult life because I had no business knowledge outside of college economics classes. But I felt I had no other option.”
Mitchell’s lack of financing and experience as a full-time entrepreneur presented a new set of challenges, forcing her to survive on canned soup formonths. She realized that stocking a hair store with bundles, closures, frontals, and wigs, along with purchasing stock goods for online orders, required hundreds of thousands of dollars in upfront costs. “I didn’t have the funding for that,” she said.
“The first two years, my store stock was pretty weak,” she admits. At the time, “there was no other hair store in Brooklyn selling raw Indian hair, and everyone wanted some True Indian Hair. So, there was a huge demand for my product and customers were willing to wait,” she explained. The high demand forced her to learn what she calls “the flipping game” quickly.
“I would sell and use the profits to buy twice the amount of the last order, and then three times the amount, and so on. Eventually, the positive cash flow flowed enough from flipping bundles to fully stocking my store.”
Today, True Hair Company has become an eight-figure business, providing clientele with luxurious hair ethically sourced directly from donors in India. In addition to the original brick-and-mortar in Flatbush, Brooklyn, Mitchell also runs a 3,000 sq. ft, multi-level flagship store in the heart of Manhattan as well as a successful e-commerce website.
“True Indian Hair was one of those side hustles that evolved beyond a hustle into a real business. It wasn’t planned, but once I saw the trajectory. I knew I had something special to offer,” she said.
Beyond business success, Mitchell founded the nonprofit True Strength, which provides monthly hair and beauty makeovers to women who have experienced hair loss due to cancer-related treatments.
Mitchell and her team intend to expand within the next couple of years to other markets, including Atlanta and New Jersey. Her long-term goals include franchising, launching a new haircare product line, and opening locations in Houston, Miami, Washington, Washington, D.C., and London.
In an interview, the hair mogul shared insights about her journey, building her celebrity clientele, and strategies for those looking to launch or expand a business.
BE: Where does your entrepreneurial spirit stem from?
I have always had an entrepreneurial mindset since I was in high school and college. From selling Avon to selling bracelets out of catalogues, I just had a thing for business. My long-term goal was to open a hair salon.
I think my entrepreneurial mindset comes from my mom, who sold commodities in Jamaica for a living. Also, my first job out of college was for a fashion company led by a woman. I stayed with that company for 10 years and, looking back, I now see how my boss influenced me as a woman in business.
BE: What makes True Hair Company different from other hair extension and wig companies?
We set our company apart by primarily focusing on ethically sourced raw Indian hair for our hair bundles and wigs. We have partnered with our factory in India and have our own team on hand in the factory to select only the best premium raw hair for our production. The quality control continues to our NYC hub where every piece of hair is rewashed to ensure there are no tangles or visible hair issues before it is sold to customers. Because of this, we have a less than 3% return or complaint rate. I think being a woman who actually wears my products has been a great asset. I look at every piece of hair as if it’s going into my head. I’m not only the owner; I’m also a client.
Source: Karen Mitchell, founder and CEO of True Hair Company and True Indian Hair (Photo provided by True Hair Company)
BE: How did you build and maintain relationships with celebrity clients?
We have been blessed to have an amazing list of celebrity stylist and brands who trust our products for their clients. Normally, they will reach out to us with their specific needs. Yusef, who styles Rihanna, to Tokyo Stylez, who styles Cardi B, to Hairassasin, who styles JT, to Tym Wallace who styles Mary J. Blige and Taraji P. Henson, to Chis Appleton, who styles Kim Kardashian, and [celebrity hair stylist] Q Hardy, who has trusted our products from day one. This includes working with fashion brands such as LaQuan Smith for NYFW. They love and trust our quality, and we nurture those relationships.
BE: What tips would you share with entrepreneurs struggling to generate revenue and build their business?
Access to information for funding is easier now than it was when I started my journey almost 20 years ago. Small Business Loans (SML) are available for businesses to borrow for startup or reinvestment. There are also grants available for startups. I find that we sometimes do not do enough research in our communities. Information will not come to you. You have to seek it out. Start with Google. Visit your local chamber of commerce. They are there to serve you.
Find a mentor to guide you and be a sounding board, but do so only after you have done your own research and can communicate your wants or needs. No one wants to help someone who doesn’t want to help themselves.
Before starting a business, an entrepreneur must know who their target audience is in order to know who to market to. Today, digital marketing is huge, and the best free digital marketing is social media. Use it to your advantage. You have to know your audience and engage your audience with content that not only appeals to them but drives them to buy.
Build relationships with your customers to create trust and repeat buyers.
Hire strategically. Your team has to add value to your company.
Lastly, cut unnecessary expenses that are not contributing to the growth of your business.
Utah Officials Are Not Feeling President Trump’s Pardon For NBA YoungBoy
Cache County Attorney Taylor Sorensen and Sheriff D. Chad Jensen release a statement justifying the conviction of the rapper
President Donald Trump pardoned recording artist NBA YoungBoy, but a prosecutor and sheriff in Utah does not agree with the move; they released a statement objecting to it.
According to KUTV, Cache County Attorney Taylor Sorensen and Sheriff D. Chad Jensen stated they disagreed with the president’s reasoning for making the move for Kentrell Gaulden (NBA Youngboy). The Trump Administration said that the rapper’s pardon was done to “correct a politicized and weaponized justice system.” Not so say Sorenson and Jensen. The officials state they are proud of the work done to obtain the original conviction against the Baton Rouge-raised rapper.
The two officials released a statement after the news was delivered that the convicted artist had been granted the legal move May 28.
“We are extremely proud of the work our investigator and prosecutors did on this case as well as grateful for all the help we received from other local and federal agencies. Mr. Gaulden pled guilty to the charges in this investigation, and we feel strongly the Justice System in Cache County is far from a weaponized system of justice.
”We have highly trained, honest, experienced and professional sheriff’s investigators and county prosecutors, along with respected District Court Judges and Defense Attorneys. We, along with all of our staff are proud of the work we do in Cache County.”
Late 2024, the rapper pleaded guilty after being charged with possessing weapons as a felon and was sentenced to 23 months in prison on gun charges he received in Louisiana. Along with that punishment, he was also sentenced to five years of probation and fined $200,000 for a gun charge in a separate Utah case.
The Associated Press reported that in March, Youngboy was released from federal prison, and after receiving credit for time served, he was given home confinement, which was completed in April. With the president’s pardon, he will no longer have to complete the terms of his probation.
